A Sister's Heart
by ChekhovTheTroper
Summary: We're all wicked, we can't deny that. I knew it long before the blood was shed, and I tried to warn them; but they never listened to me. You both knew who you really were, too, but you never believed it. I—I knew alright—but it's surprising that I mean every I Love You I say when one day, I might kill you two. *Alternate movieverse wherein Glinda is a sister.*
1. I: Music

**DISCLAIMER: All ****_Oz_****-related material is not in my possession, especially not ****_Oz the Great and Powerful. _****If it was? Well, this story explains what would happen then.**

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Theodora never considers herself attractive. She is well-aware of the modest throng of boys that desire to court her, but she can see it as faulty. In her earliest memories, before the death of her parents, she was unusually introverted as a child. She never found interest in anyone, not even with her royal status. Most of the time, she would watch the townsfolk revel through her crystal ball, like a patient bird preparing its next flight. Glinda would watch with her, exchanging quips about how fun the eclectic parties appeared; Evanora was just as quiet, so she would observe with doleful eyes that nobody questioned.

The campfire falters next to her. Her blouse billows unkemptly around her and her hat tilts on Oscar's head. She giggles at him. He is snoring blissfully, hands stolid and twitching by his side. Her hands twitch often, but when they do, it vexes her deeply. However, they fidgeted in Oscar's grip while the music from the tiny, wooden box twirled in her head. _Shhh. Relax._ Theodora looks into the fire with pensive admiration. Admittedly, she is inexperienced, and she still feels that way after the deed was done. Yet Oscar was a gentleman—_is_, she thinks—and she didn't have to worry.

Distant bellflowers sound the moon, commandeering it to rise. Other shy ones flutter in the balmy wind. For such a warm thought, Theodora feels cold. She feels dismal, with subtle pangs of nostalgia. There have been many boys that languished at the castle walls with proclamations of love and unabridged wishes. The King and Queen never let them pass through, but acts like this rankled her greatly: They wanted her for the social wealth and nothing else (although, the welcoming of an unsullied bed was rather eye-catching, too). Such a thought angered her irrevocably, and whenever she was angry, her parents would laugh it off. "Such a foolish girl we've raised!" they'd say. Her sisters tightened their lips and said nothing.

Oscar doesn't appear to be that way, though. He is rather rugged himself, and there is an edge in his voice that Theodora is cumbersome towards. However, he doesn't know that she is royalty. She hadn't told him, yet. Well, maybe she did and he wasn't listening. She celebrates this in the afterglow. If he wasn't listening, that meant he didn't care about such a status. He gave her the music-box because he wanted to, not because of a tumultuous fanfare or a lonely view of Oz from the highest tower.

Straightening her back against the log, Theodora buttons her shirt and pampers her hair. She wonders if her sisters would be so easily seduced if they had met Oscar, too. Glinda, as wretched as she is nowadays, would quail at the mere thought of it. Wicked Witch or not, she is still too prim and proper for her own good. Theodora laughs again, thinking about the look on Glinda's face when she pops the question. Evanora…now how would she react? After being weathered out by countless tragedies, she would be in need of some comfort. Yes, she'd be just as weak in his arms—

_"Weak,"_ Evanora hisses in Theodora's head. Disappointment is grooved into her face, but Theodora is surprised at what else the mental picture conjures up: Evanora is crying.

For such an eminent family, Theodora often questions if she truly has sisters. Glinda's betrayal was unexpected, to put it plainly. Growing up, she never considered her sister to be aberrant in any way. She was kind, diplomatic, and often easy to scare. Theodora explicitly remembers aiding Evanora in a little prank they would pull on Glinda. Whether it be a simple cry of _"Boo!"_ or recalling morbid folklore in the early hours of morning, Glinda would squeal every time. Whenever Theodora recalls Glinda's tearful disappearance, she wonders if any woodland creatures still approach her and if she still recoils from them.

Evanora never fails to brag about her responsibilities as the big sister. She always babied Theodora in the past, exhausting her with excessive rules and contraband gossip. Evanora never told fairytales; she found no pleasure in lying to her little sister about the real world. Theodora is often confused by this, as everyone's incessant praise for the wonderful wizard that will save the day proves the eldest sister wrong. Evanora describes herself as a rather sage woman, although Theodora can sense the smugness in her tone. However, whenever she feigned peaceful slumber, she would hear loud weeping from outside the bedroom door. Theodora has been acquainted with the sound of Evanora crying since she was nine, but the thought of it is frighteningly consequential, now.

"Eva," Theodora whispers weakly, "I'm sorry, but I can't be sorry."

_"You're weak now. I've lost respect for you. You have, too…and I hate you for it."_

"Theo?" A foreign voice stirs. Theodora flinches when a rough hand touches her back. She turns and sees Oscar's eyes lidded with dry bags. "Hey?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up."

"Nah, I'm a poor sleeper, anyway." Oscar grins, hauling himself up. "I wish I brought my bromo with me. Maybe that'll help you go to sleep."

"I do this every night. I talk to my sisters, sometimes."

Oscar nods. "Well, tell them I send my best wishes and I said goodnight."

He kisses her neck, and Theodora smiles meekly, unaware of his nonchalance. As he lies back down, she blinks away the thought of Evanora's tears. Theodora clutches her head, swaying as she stands up too quickly. The fire rustles with smoke ballooning in the air. She tries to imagine her older sister's visage floating upwards, too. Up—up—up—but she would only look down on Little Theo. Evanora would be shaking her head, and their parents would accompany her with equally grave expressions.

"No more." She murmurs. "No more; no more. No more, more, more—_no_."

Oscar is snoring again, mumbling idiosyncrasies under his breath. She does not hear it; she only hears her voice, bereft of logical pleas. Her hands clap over her ears. She rakes through the noise for the music-box, and its sweet music embedded in her mind's repertoire. A supple glissando falters quickly. There is only picturesque horror.

The slipstream starts with a calm pace. There is Glinda and Evanora; Theodora sees herself, too, but the girl is much smaller in size. Glinda kneels down to talk to her. Glinda's smile is so impeccant, and the arms that wrap Little Theo into a hug are inoffensive. Evanora is still looking down at her, but smiles with outmoded kindness. Theodora always sees this image before everything shuts off. This little girl embraces her big sisters, but Theodora does not—

Theodora does not expect the image to shift. Glinda releases the little girl, and her blissful expression crumples. Her face grows pallid; she cups her mouth, appearing to be out of breath. Little Theo takes a step further, but retreats from her comforting when Glinda cringes and staggers away from her little sister. Theodora reaches a hand out, believing herself to be capable of intervening. However, it is forgotten when Glinda shrieks. Glinda is now clawing at her face, disheveled blonde tendrils bobbing around her eyes. She is lurching over, about ready to collapse, but she looks up to the ceiling and lets out a garbled wail. Her face is blemished with shallow, discolored scratches.

Little Theo backs into a corner, incredulous tears glittering in her eyes. Where was Evanora? Theodora desperately averts her attention from Glinda's horribly disfigured body to find the big sister. However, she had vanished—no, no there's that crying sound again. It could be coming from Little Theo, but the sound is almost inhuman. There is sharp abandon in the loud cries, dipping into a luxurious nadir before rising again. Little Theo appears to shrink whenever the noise peaks, and by the time it officially culminates, there is no little girl anymore. Theodora's vision teeters from the normal grounds to this deviated childhood memory. The sound halts, and then fission occurs. It is Evanora after all, and instead of continuing with her hoarse sobs, she cackles as a little girl screams in the background.

Theodora's hands twitch. Her eyes are shut; a few sounds quiver in her throat. Her arms lower and the once-commonplace visage dissolves. When everything flutters into eyeshot, she is greeted by several unfurling vines. Lantern-lilies flare in a large cluster, the glazed light burning brighter than the dimming campfire. Theodora flexes her hands, popping a few joints, and slowly crouches down. She is breathing hard, restlessly tugging at her blouse's collar. The fire slowly burns out, and the vines that intertwine with the night sky appear to be aglow with stars.

She lies beside Oscar, who is transfixed on an obtuse dream of some kind. Theodora sighs and rests her head on her hands, curling her legs in whenever she hears a lone bellflower ring through the cyclic memory of her music-box.

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**A/N: While I was vacationing in Arizona, I went to a double feature at the theater w/ my aunt. One of the movies was ****_Oz the Great and Powerful. _****Even though I liked it a lot more than the last movie we saw (****_Jack the Giant Slayer_****), there were some flaws about the characters I didn't like. The main thing is how the sisterly relationship is sidelined for all the action and wonder. So I'm basically extending/adding some scenes that weren't in the movie.**

**If some are confused, this chapter takes place after the romantic Ozodora scene with them dancing and kissing by the campfire. I think Oscar took Theo's virginity, so that's why her heartbreak was so severe. I mean, Theodora gave Oscar her trust and even though he didn't cheat on her, he was going to leave her no matter what. However, they're not going to show that in a Disney film! I wish they would though...that would be pretty funny. XD**

**Apologies all around if the chapter is too short, but I will have the next chapter up pretty soon. Reviews are much appreciated. :)**

**Have an awesome day!**

**-Peace from the gun-troper**


	2. II: Confrontation

**DISCLAIMER: ****_Oz the Great and Powerful_**** is not in my possession, but my own crystal ball is. Now, onto spying on my celebrity crush...*le blush* Oh. I didn't know he liked that...**

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The last time Evanora helped her little sister prepare for anything was for the funeral. For such a gloomy service, the decorations were festive enough, without coming across as distastefully carnivalesque. The two wooden boxes that traveled down the aisle were polished, the pillows fluffed from raw packages of cashmere. Wreaths of flowers, both wilted and youthful, adorned the tombstones that slanted in the muddled sunlight. Several tinkers and wagon-drivers sang in the congregation, but Evanora's ears were enveloped in the sobs of the Ozian townsfolk.

Trotting up a small flight of stairs, Evanora halts, feeling the memory freeze. Theodora did not weep at their parents' funeral. Her face was temperate, with no building tension aimed towards a severe crying jag. Evanora's arms were limp and ready to embrace her sister if she broke, but she didn't. It was as if Theodora copied every groove and flicker of sadness in her older sister's face.

Evanora continues down the path until she stops at the bedchamber's door. A manufactured glissando wavers, producing an irresolute melody. Evanora knocks once, and is immediately greeted by Theodora, who is in the midst of getting dressed. Evanora smirks when she sees how askance the skirt looks.

"Years of letting you dress yourself, and _this _is how you repay me."

"Sister," Theodora chirps, "can you please help me? I'm preparing myself for the Wizard to arrive."

"Of course." Evanora saunters in, pulling out the tiny stool in front of the vanity. She teases Theodora by roughly tugging at her skirt; her sister laughs and complies to adjusting it. Evanora fishes through the draws to find several comely hair accessories along with a hairbrush. While Theodora is fixated on her waistband, Evanora takes the brush and runs it through her sister's hair. Theodora flinches, accidentally having a thin knot plucked from her head.

"I can do my hair myself," Theodora whines playfully.

"You can't even slip your knickers on right. Now, get over here."

Theodora pouts, but it rumples into a soft giggle. Evanora beckons her sister to the vanity, and proceeds to brush. Evanora prattles briefly, compliments and drollery falling in forced breaths. As she is putting the hair into a ponytail, she notices Theodora's embarrassed smile.

Evanora sighs. "Theo, things got a little heated back there. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that, so I do apologize."

Her sister does not reply, but she starts to sing a wistful children's rhyme softly. Evanora joins in before the chorus, and the music-box adds a caustic flavor to their harmony. Evanora tucks Theodora's hair into a few clips, and pats her head once it is finished. Evanora glances at the window, noticing a distant tree branch tapping against the glass, ironically in tune with the song. She stops, clearing her throat and sitting down on the bed.

As Theodora continues her slipstream about how wonderful the Wizard is and how Oz can be the way it was in its heyday again, Evanora keeps thinking about Oz itself. She can still hear the effusive fanfare, the noise that bellowed for attention when most unneeded (especially when Evanora was contemplating a new spell, and the sound caused the bottles of potion to fall off their shelves). Nevertheless, Evanora would join with her family to greet the crowd. She could see the hopelessness in their eyes but felt no need to acknowledge it. They'd always herald the crowd with blessed thank you's and preach about the sunny skies coming back home.

Evanora caresses her hair, coiling the dark locks around her fingers. There is a vivid memory of her joining her parents and sisters on the balcony. The Sun shone in her face, causing her to dodge the thick bank of light. The Queen giggled and kissed Evanora's hair. Something Evanora remembers about her own hair is that, before the death of her parents, the color of it was a silvery blonde and even more illustrious than Glinda's hair.

"Sister?"

Evanora breaks off the memory and looks at Theodora. Theodora's face is bright with dainty makeup, something that was once ignored.

Theodora asks tentatively, "Do…do I look all right?"

"Little Theo," Evanora smiles with genuine affection, "you are _quite_ the inspiration."

Theodora smiles back, although unnerved by Evanora's response. She picks up the music-box, smoothing over the glazed lid and presenting it to her sister. "Eva, look what the Wizard gave me last night! Isn't it lovely, too?"

Evanora nods, getting up and walking towards the window. The music was muted until she noticed where it came from. Xylophones lilt in the room, accompanied by the philosophic harps and aimless piano keys. Evanora's fingers knead her forehead. Out of the edge of her eye, she sees Theodora knotting a matching corset onto herself. Evanora does not help her, but simply calls out, reminding her not to tighten it too much, or else she'll get some bad indents across her chest.

Theodora obeys, but seeing her sister's swaying stance isn't a calming sight. She takes a few steps towards Evanora, but all Evanora can hear is the lissome, incorrigible tune.

"Eva," Theodora murmurs, "please don't be angry with me. The Wizard does want to help us, and he thinks highly of you."

"I'm glad you can decipher him so easily."

"Decipher? No, he said it himself."

Evanora snorts, bringing a hand to her mouth. She feels Theodora withdraw and veer back to the vanity. Evanora keeps combing through her hair, sensing the spreading feeling…spreading…spreading…like a thick polish was spilt onto the floor.

She dissects the music-box's melody, cutting through the innocent clinking sound to find an orgiastic rhythm to it. There are two ornamental figures in the box: a man and a woman caught in a precious waltz. Evanora wonders if Oscar and Theodora were dancing last night, and if that was all. "Theo?" she calls torpidly. "How did you and this…Wizard meet?"

"He was just wandering around and accidentally met me. He said…strange things, such as how he said witches fly around on brooms. However, we had to hide because some animals tried to attack us. We camped out for the night, and he gave me this. He said I was beautiful, and that he's never met a witch like me before."

"Has he met others?" Evanora asks, voice wry and fascinated.

"No."

"Are you sure?" Evanora's tone hushes, leaving the question unanswered. She cranes her head back at the window. The tree branch is still and even listless. Theodora asks for Evanora to respond repeatedly, but all Evanora says is: "Turn that music off."

"Sister?"

Evanora shakes her head, feeling the music worm into her mind, rivaling with the entrenched memories of Glinda's smile and her own blonde hair that spreads into red hues.

"Sister—"

"Just turn it off!" Evanora barks, pressing her knuckles to her lips. When Theodora closes the lid, Evanora does not hold back anymore. She is shaking convulsively, eyes prickling with a fierce, endless amalgam of emotions. Her hands are relaxed, but now and then, whenever her fingers flex, they appear hooked and sharp. "Theodora, I cannot trust that man! There is nothing I can salvage now."

"Sister, I've told you many times who he is," Theodora replies, and her eyes appear expectantly perturbed rather than frustrated. "Why can't you trust me when I say—?"

"This isn't a matter of trusting you. This is a matter of knowing when to be ignorant and when to fight back."

Theodora mouths something, but she dips her head and turns back to the vanity mirror, sedated from Evanora's hysterical words.

"Now, you're going to find me reproachful when I say this, but keep in mind that you rarely listen to me. I know more than you think, Theo. His name is Oz, so that is wonderful; but does that constitute him to be a savior? I could walk into a town with the words _Eva_ carved into the greeting signs, but does that mean I am to be a token in salvation?"

"You wouldn't want to be." Theodora does not look at Evanora, but she knows that she heard her. In the place of an angry tirade, Evanora sniggers, crossing her arms. She saunters towards her sister, who is tensely arched against the small seat.

"Yes, I heard you, but I am not a visitor. I am the King's child, as are you. A new town is not our concern, but all of Oz is. Who's to say that this man won't abscond with all our riches and morals? When I presented to him the Hall of Fortune, he never gave me a moment's notice. It was the coins, the chalices, and the blessing of our oblivious smiles."

"He did that?" Theodora asks, disbelieving. "He wouldn't."

"Would." Evanora kneels down to Theodora's level, touching her sister's shoulders softly. "Please, listen to me. We don't want to lose more than we already have. He wants our riches, and the throne if it means getting more gold. He wants our defenses down, so he can run away with everything—even our virtues."

The last thing Evanora said was abrupt, not meant to be comprehended by naïve ears. However, she sees Theodora clench her fists underneath the vanity and her breath trembles heavily.

"Oh…he hasn't…with _you?_"

Theodora refuses to see Evanora's grim face. She refuses to prepare for what was to come next, but to her surprise, Evanora wraps her into a hug. She is braying dry sounds in between kissing Theodora's neck, and Theodora believes it to be laughing instead of sobbing.

"Oh, this is _new_. This is going to be new for you! I knew something would happen, I _knew_ you were ready. Something great is bound to happen soon."

Theodora does not understand Evanora's cryptic words, but it unsettles her greatly. She wriggles in Evanora's grip, trying to free herself from the hug. Desperate, sheepish pleas wheeze out of Theodora. Theodora closes her eyes, and blocks out the smothered sounds of Evanora's celebration. However, when it halts, she forces herself to look. Her arm had connected with Evanora's mouth, and a red smear was forming on her mouth.

Evanora prods at the split lip, ignoring her sister's rampant apologies. She staggers up, disregarding Theodora's hand, and rushes out of the room. She slams the door, reclining against it feebly. She hears the music resume, as well as a few faint gasps. Evanora chuckles, humming the music under her breath as she walks down the hall, heading to the study. Every time she takes a step, there is a modest sway of her hips as the asinine melody echoes through the corridor.

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**A/N: Okay, I've come across a small flaw recently. Some people have told me that Glinda isn't related to Theodora and Evanora. I am not sure if this is true, b/c I read an interview someone had w/ one of the producers, and he stated that Glinda was a sister. Also, before I thought that the rules of high monarchy was that you had to be blood family in order to achieve the throne. But apparently, what I've been taught in middle school is very basic, so disregard my wittle theory...**

**...I can tell already my World History teacher will not like me w/_ that_ kind of mistake. XD**

**Well, this story is being registered as AU so this is still taking place during the events of the movie, but the only difference is Glinda is a sister. So, despite my stupidity, I hope you enjoyed the 2nd chapter haha. If you are confused about what's going on, feel free to tell me. I'll explain it in a PM. :D**

**Happy 4th of July!**

**-Peace from the gun-troper**


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